What to read after ACOTAR: 9 books to fill the Prythian-shaped hole

Finishing A Court of Thorns and Roses is a special kind of grief. You close A Court of Silver Flames, sit with Nesta for a minute, and then the panic sets in — what now?

I've been down this road (multiple times, in denial) and these are the books I actually hand people when they say "give me something that feels like ACOTAR." No filler, no "well, it has fae in it." Just reads that scratch the same itch — morally grey love interests, high-stakes courts, slow-burn tension, and that one scene you'll be thinking about at 2am.

If you loved the faerie courts and political intrigue

1. Throne of Glass — Sarah J. Maas

Start here if you haven't already. It's a slower burn than ACOTAR and the first book reads YA, but by Heir of Fire you're in it. Aelin Galathynius is the assassin queen you didn't know you needed.

2. The Cruel Prince — Holly Black

Darker, sharper, and shorter. Jude vs. Cardan is enemies-to-lovers done with a scalpel. If you liked the tension of Feyre and Rhys sparring in Under the Mountain, you'll love this.

3. An Enchantment of Ravens — Margaret Rogerson

A standalone (I know, I know) but genuinely beautiful. Autumn courts, a mortal artist, a fae prince who commissions her portrait. Cosy and cruel in equal measure.

If you're here for the spice and slow burn

4. From Blood and Ash — Jennifer L. Armentrout

This is the most commonly recommended ACOTAR follow-up for a reason. Poppy is a fun narrator, Hawke is… Hawke, and the series has enough books to keep you busy for a long time.

5. Fourth Wing — Rebecca Yarros

Dragons instead of fae, war college instead of Night Court, but the vibe is identical. Violet and Xaden are basically the reason Fourth Wing became the book of 2023.

6. A Deal with the Elf King — Elise Kova

Quieter, cosier, one-book commitment. Perfect if you want the marriage-of-convenience faerie court energy without a nine-book time investment.

If you want something a little different (but still fae-adjacent)

7. Daughter of the Moon Goddess — Sue Lynn Tan

Chinese mythology, a heroine trying to free her mother from the moon, and a slow-burn love triangle that actually earns itself.

8. The Serpent and the Wings of Night — Carissa Broadbent

Vampires instead of fae. Enemies-to-lovers competition-to-the-death. If you liked the Blood Rite in ACOSF, this book is basically that vibe stretched over 500 pages.

9. A Study in Drowning — Ava Reid

More gothic, more literary, less spicy — but if what you loved about ACOTAR was the atmosphere and the yearning, this one will wreck you in the best way.

---

My honest ranking

If I had to pick just one to hand a friend fresh off Nesta's book, it'd be Fourth Wing — the pacing is the closest match. If you want something you can savour, go for The Cruel Prince. And if you want to commit to another huge world, Throne of Glass is the answer (and yes, you should read Assassin's Blade before Queen of Shadows — I'll die on this hill).

Have you read any of these? Tell me on Instagram which one wrecked you the most.